Home Blog Page 27

Zach Sang Returns Broadcast Radio KMVQ San Francisco

David Hill
-
0
Zach Sang Returns Broadcast Radio KMVQ San Francisco

Zach Sang Returns to Broadcast. He joins Connoisseur Media’s CHR 99.7 Now KMVQ San Francisco.

What We Know Sang will host Monday through Thursday nights from 10pm to 2am, plus Sundays from 8pm to midnight. This marks his first broadcast radio role since departing Westwood One at the end of 2021. Following that departure, Sang moved to Amazon Music’s now-defunct Amp platform and later expanded across YouTube, streaming, and podcasting. Significantly, KMVQ will serve as the first affiliate for an upcoming national rollout.

What’s at Stake This return signals broadcast radio’s continued strength in attracting established talent. Streaming platforms have struggled to retain Sang despite significant investment. Clearly, the move suggests audiences still value the intimacy of traditional radio infrastructure. Moreover, Sang’s show has launched multiple careers at prominent radio markets.

What Remains Unclear Connoisseur Media has not yet announced which markets might carry the show nationally. The company hasn’t clarified production logistics and syndication partnership details either. Notably, the specific timeline for national rollout expansion needs clarity from leadership. Furthermore, success metrics for KMVQ could ultimately determine affiliate adoption rates.

What It Means Sang’s career arc reveals an interesting full-circle narrative. He built his platform on terrestrial radio from 2012 to 2021. After exploring streaming opportunities at Amazon Music and elsewhere, he discovered those platforms lacked radio’s staying power. His return signals that broadcast radio remains the ultimate destination for sustainable, scalable talent development.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

How Armstrong & Getty Built a Show by Refusing to Sound Like Anyone Else

Garrett Searight
-
0
How Armstrong & Getty Built a Show by Refusing to Sound Like Anyone Else

For more than two decades, Armstrong & Getty has carved out a lane in talk radio that few competitors have managed to replicate. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty didn’t chase a format that already existed — they built their own, and stuck with it even when the industry pushed back. That stubbornness, paired with a genuine curiosity about the world, has turned into one of the more durable partnerships in the business.

The duo’s success comes down to a simple idea: talk about what actually interests you, and trust that an audience will follow. Armstrong pointed to a recent piece in The Free Press as proof the appetite for that kind of honesty hasn’t gone away.

“The Free Press did have a good piece the other day about influencers and podcasters and that sort of thing, on how there seems to be a hunger out there for people who are perceived as telling the truth,” Armstrong said. “Even if you don’t agree with their opinion, you just want to know that they’re being honest about it, and that’s always been our thing.”

That honesty extends to how they’ve adapted their format for a podcast-first world. Radio conditioned hosts to repeat themselves because audiences turned over hour by hour. Podcasts don’t work that way, and Armstrong has noticed the shift in how he and Getty structure a broadcast.

“We definitely repeat stuff less than we used to when we were only a radio show,” Armstrong said. “In the day with radio, you’d do a three- or four-hour show, and you don’t have the same people in hour four as hour one, almost guaranteed. Whereas with podcasts, you might, so we repeat stuff a lot less, definitely.”

A Show Built on Doing It Their Way

Getty echoed that same instinct when he described why the pair stopped trying to fit a preexisting mold. Early in their careers, they experimented with formats other people wanted, and neither found it fulfilling.

“I think we decided very early in our careers — decades ago — that we were going to do it our way,” Getty said. “And if we failed, we would never wonder, ‘Gosh, I wonder what would happen if we’d done it our way.’ If you fail doing it according to somebody else’s recipe, you’ll never know. So it’s kind of been part of our DNA as a show from the very beginning.”

Armstrong described a nearly identical turning point from his side of the mic. Consequently, both hosts trace their independence back to the same lesson learned in music radio.

“That was a lesson out of music radio when we started together as a team,” Armstrong said. “We did a couple of shows the way other people wanted, and that didn’t work out. You don’t want to leave the industry having never tried your act, so we decided we’d do what we wanted to do, and luckily that has worked out.”

That refusal to imitate has occasionally cost them opportunities, according to Armstrong. Stations chasing a Rush Limbaugh soundalike weren’t always interested in two hosts who sounded like nobody else on the dial. Still, he believes that same trait now works in their favor.

“I think it definitely holds us back at various times, where stations — especially back in the day — wanted a show that sounded like Rush or whatever, and we don’t sound like somebody else,” Armstrong said. “But I think that actually benefits us now. I’m not sure it did 20 years ago.”

Balancing Two Very Different Audiences

Running a show that lives in both the radio and podcast worlds requires constant calibration, and Getty admits the balance isn’t always perfect. Radio still comes with a clock, language restrictions, and a listening pattern unlike anything podcasts demand. Getty said the team talks about that tension often.

“The restrictions of radio — whether it’s the clock or language or the way people listen — are different from the podcast world,” Getty said. “So we try to balance what we do so that, if possible, we serve both audiences. It’s an evolving process. I don’t know if we’re doing it exactly right, but we’re doing our best.”

Getty also pushed back on the idea that the show blends into the rest of talk radio’s crowded lineup. Instead, he described Armstrong & Getty as something listeners can’t easily categorize, for better or worse.

“Our show is different. We’re not just another one of those, dot, dot, dot, that seem to just clog the airwaves everywhere,” Getty said. “Somebody going through the motions, thinking they know what the audience wants, and just serving it up to them like cheap hamburgers. You do not tune in the Armstrong & Getty show and say, ‘Oh, another one of those.’ You might say, ‘What the hell is this? Or why are these guys doing geopolitical analysis and making crass dick jokes?’ But it’s not the same old thing, and that’s probably our greatest strength.”

What the Future Holds

Neither host frames the show’s longevity around money or ego at this stage of their careers. Getty said he’s largely made peace with that part of the business and now measures success differently.

“This may come off as precious, but we’re at the point in our careers that I don’t need much more for my ego,” Getty said. “I don’t particularly need much more money, although I certainly enjoy it. I actually care a lot about what we’re talking about, and I appreciate the platform.”

The duo have seen their affiliates list continually grow in recent years. Armstrong & Getty is heard on stations like 790 KABC (Los Angeles), 810 KSFO (San Francisco), 1190 KEX (Portland), and 590 KUGN (Eugene), as well as their home market on Talk 650 KTSE in Sacramento

That sense of purpose comes through in how Getty talks about the country’s current moment. He views the show as a genuine outlet for engaging with issues he’s studied since he was young.

“The reward, to me, is doing the show,” Getty said. “The ability to knock ideas around and talk about the issues that confront the country — some of the sociological issues, some of the political movements. I’ve studied them since I was a teenager, and there are movements right now in the American electorate, in the body politic, that are crazy interesting and troubling, historically speaking.”

Armstrong shared a similar sentiment when describing what motivates him after decades on the air. He credited a recent Jerry Seinfeld interview for putting into words something he’s felt for years. “I was watching an interview with Jerry Seinfeld the other day, and he was talking about how if he did his career for the money, he would never have gotten as successful as he did,” Armstrong said. “He did it because he really liked being a comic. What gets me out of bed every day is wanting to talk about these issues and have an effect on the conversation. That’s what gets me up every day, 100%.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

20 Brands In 20 Days: Brian Michel, KYGO & KOSI, Denver

David Hill
-
0
20 Brands In 20 Days: Brian Michel, KYGO & KOSI, Denver

When you oversee two of radio’s most legendary brands — KYGO and KOSI — the weight of that responsibility shapes everything. Denver’s KYGO, a 46-year broadcasting icon, and KOSI, a 60-plus-year pillar of the community, aren’t just radio stations. They’re cultural institutions. For Brian Michel, Director of Operations for both powerhouse stations, that legacy demands excellence, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to serving the community in ways that algorithms simply cannot.

Michel’s connection to KYGO runs deeper than any job description. He grew up dreaming about running the station. “When I was a kid, I came out here on the California Zephyr when KYGO was a fresh new radio station,” he recalls. “I said, ‘One day I’m gonna run that radio station.’ It was a dream radio station, and it all worked out.”

That dream came to fruition in 2019 when Bob Call — someone Michel knew and respected from their years competing in radio markets — approached him about taking over as Program Director. A few years into his tenure, he was elevated to Director of Operations for both KYGO and KOSI.

“Our goal isn’t to beat up the next-door neighbor,” Michel explains. “It’s to put out the best product you possibly can. When you do that — when you truly serve the community and fulfill your obligation as a licensee — ratings and revenue take care of themselves.”

This philosophy stems from a 30-year career spanning major markets. In Atlanta, he served as SVP of Programming overseeing 76 stations for iHeartMedia. Now, seven years into his Denver tenure, Michel is implementing a fundamentally different approach to what makes radio essential in 2026.

KOSI 101.1, Denver’s soft hits station, brings a different energy to Michel’s portfolio. While KYGO leans country, KOSI serves through personality-driven programming with Jenny and Friends, Tammy Oakland, Kathie J, and Melinda Connolly. The station complements KYGO’s harder edge with feel-good content and community-focused shows like “KOSI Cares.” Together, the two stations demonstrate Michel’s ability to manage distinct brand identities while maintaining his core philosophy of authentic, community-first radio.

The Colorado Native Advantage: Building Community From Within

One of Michel’s most distinctive strategic decisions at KYGO stands out immediately: every single daypart features a Colorado native on air. It’s deliberate. It’s structural.

“When you talk about really relating to the community, anyone can pick up a prep sheet, know a zip code, and voice track a reflection from three states away,” Michel explains. “But what you can’t do is create for the community unless you really are part of it and have lived it.”

The morning show features Tracy and Fizz. Sheena in the midday and Sean Patrick anchors afternoon. Big Mike commands nights. Every voice comes from Colorado, which means every conversation carries authenticity that can’t be manufactured or replicated by distant voice tracks. These are neighbors talking to neighbors.

“It works great because these people understand what matters to Denver,” Michel notes. “They’ve lived it.”

Michel hires people who understand Denver’s culture at a cellular level, who’ve invested in the community. It sounds simple. In corporate radio, it’s increasingly rare.

The Long Game vs. The Finite Quarter

Perhaps Michel’s most provocative critique targets an industry-wide obsession with short-term metrics.

“A hockey game is very finite,” he reflects, drawing on his own experience coaching hockey at Chaparral High School in Denver. “You play three periods, time runs out, and one team has more goals than the other. But radio isn’t finite. We need to play the game forever.”

Yet radio, Michel argues, has adopted finite thinking. Success gets measured in quarterly rating books. Wins are declared based on Nielsen data. This creates what he calls “scared operators” — program directors and station managers so risk-averse that they’ve abandoned the very thing that makes radio essential: creativity and differentiation.

“If you’re always waiting for every song to hit two hundred million streams before you add it, you’re always going to be second,” he explains. “If you’re so risk-averse that you’re just reflecting what’s already been established as ultra-familiar, you’re demonstrating to people they don’t need you.”

The Creativity Crisis: Why Radio Must Take Risks

Perhaps Michel’s sharpest critique targets the fundamental misunderstanding of what makes radio essential.

“Radio has gotta get away from the finite thinking we see in the on-air product,” he says. “It’s creating scared operators. If you’re risk-averse, you get away from the things that make you unique — the best curator of music, the best storyteller in your community.”

Too many directors wait for songs to hit two hundred million streams before adding them. Too many stations sound identical. Most importantly, too many have outsourced their curatorial instincts to Spotify’s algorithm.

Streaming services have perfected personalization. Social media has mastered algorithms. So what can terrestrial radio offer? Humanity. Community. The willingness to play music before the data validates it. The courage to feature emerging creators. The commitment to covering local stories that matter.

“If you’re always reflecting what’s already been established to be ultra-familiar, you’re always second,” Michel argues. “What makes you essential is taking risks in real time. Stop worrying so much about being risk-averse and start worrying more about impacting people in real time.”

The Hockey Lesson Applied to Radio

Michel’s philosophy gains depth through his parallel role coaching hockey at Chaparral High School in Denver.

“In coaching, our mantra has always been: we’re teaching young men and women to be really good humans first, but also great athletes who can play hockey as well,” he explains. “I think the same thing applies to broadcast. Our job is helping the community be better, helping ensure everyone can be heard, everyone knows they have a part in this and a role.”

It’s a fundamental reorientation of what radio stations exist to do. Rather than simply extracting ratings and revenue, they should help make their communities better and raise the standard of discourse and connection in their market.

Two Legendary Brands, One Clear Direction

“We have a 46-year brand and a 60-plus-year brand,” Michel notes. “Legacy is maintained through excellence, relevance, and genuine connection to the community. It means every day, we earn the right to be here.”

The Bottom Line

Brian Michel represents something increasingly rare in contemporary radio: a leader who has rejected finite thinking, scared programming, and metrics obsession. Instead, he’s betting on authenticity, community service, creative risk, and the long game.

KYGO and KOSI were built to matter. As Michel puts it simply: “Stop worrying so much about being risk averse and start worrying more about impacting people in real time.”

In Denver — a market with deep connections to these radio institutions — that’s not just smart strategy. It’s radio the way it was always meant to be.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

The Industry According To: Frank Kramer, KLOS/Los Angeles

Keith Cunningham
-
0
The Industry According To: Frank Kramer, KLOS/Los Angeles

Thank you for checking out The Industry According To. Every Tuesday, we speak with a different expert or leader from the music industry — label executives, artist managers, programmers, talent, artists, consultants, and beyond. To be considered as a future guest, email me at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com.

Today, we sit down with one of the most successful and durable morning hosts of the past 30 years — Frank Kramer. Most know him as one half of The Heidi & Frank Show, which has dominated mornings on KLOS/Los Angeles for the past 15 years. Previously, Frank worked at several high-profile stations. He is also the founder and owner of Toad Hop Entertainment, a digital content and production company.

Having worked closely with Frank twice in my career, I can tell you firsthand: he is not only a great entertainer who truly understands how to connect with an audience — he is also a shrewd businessman. This is obvious when you examine his side projects and the longevity of his brand. Frank is one of the rare hosts who can blend improv, structure, humor, and strategy into a show that consistently performs.

So, let’s dive in.

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*

From College Dropout to #1s in Los Angeles

Keith: You were just a semester or two away from graduating college when you decided radio sounded better. Give us the quick background that led you from frat-party starter in Indiana to Los Angeles morning radio.

Frank: Radio was never even on my radar. I was chasing an opportunity, not a dream. I was given the opportunity by somebody who told me to quit school, and I trusted that person. Four weeks after I quit school, I got fired.

I had full intent to go back to school when I asked the guy who told me to quit and hired me why he would fire me in four weeks. He said, “Tell you what? Why don’t you go back to Podunk, Indiana, and do radio?” I never had any intention of going back to doing radio. However, because he said that, I started chasing a dream of sticking both his feet in his mouth. That’s how I became number one in Los Angeles.

The Doctor

Keith: When you were doing mornings in Denver with Frosty and Jamie at Alice 106, Jamie meeting “the doctor” — a very real storyline — became a turning point for all three of you. In 2026, how important are real-life storylines for radio shows and podcasters?

Frank: Real-life storylines are always important in making the connection with your audience and giving you some relatability. I think you need to focus on the entertaining part of your life. And you hear so many hosts say, “We just go on and talk about our lives, and people love it.” I believe there is still work to do when you’re going to tell real stories about your life that need to maintain the entertainment value.

That’s what Jamie did so well: she taught me how to do that and created reality radio. At the time, there was nothing else like that. That’s why it blew up for all three of us so much. It’s still a huge part if you want to have any kind of success whatsoever — not just be a cookie-cutter reading liners.

How the Sausage is Made

Keith: You’re a student of the game. You actually know how ratings work. Additionally, you study formatics, “best practices,” and even trend-line a market to find an edge. What advice do you have for today’s younger talent when it comes to all the data points available to them?

Frank: Ignore them. I got caught in that trap of over-analyzing, and it ended up hurting the content more than helping. Second-guessing yourself is never good. Ultimately, you are responsible for the success or the failure of your show. There are so many variables and data points that are inaccurate or unknown. Consequently, you can’t rely on those solely as a testament to how you’re doing.

You have to know it. You have to feel it. And you have to love it. You have to work for it and never take it for granted. At the end of every show, if you can say, “That was a good show,” then it doesn’t matter what the data point says. It also doesn’t matter what the guy across the street is doing. That was a good show.

Syndication

Keith: The Heidi & Frank Show recently partnered with SuperRadio to syndicate the show. From your perspective, what makes the show work outside of Los Angeles? What elements translate universally, and why do you think it fits well in other markets?

Frank: Los Angeles is so big and so stretched out — a bunch of communities stitched together. If you can do well in Los Angeles with the diversity and different influences, then I think you could do well anywhere.

Heidi and I have a chemistry that was evident from the moment we met. We’ve been together 26 years. However, we haven’t lost that small-town feel. We both grew up in Indiana and never forgot where we came from. I think a show from Los Angeles could translate back to smaller markets around the country.

I’d even go as far as to say The Heidi and Frank Show could be on any format. There’s not a specific thing that makes us a rock morning show. If we were on a country station, alternative rock station, or pop station — even top 40 or hip hop — I think it’d work anywhere.

Teamwork

Keith: It may just be you and me talking today, but you and Heidi have a team around you that does a lot of heavy lifting. What do most people not fully grasp about what it takes to execute a four-hour, all-talk show with no content repeats five days a week?

Frank: That’s one of the things I’ve been fortunate to have over the years: to be surrounded by very talented people. To do what we do, it takes focus from each individual. Each person has a specific job. There isn’t any confusion or overlap. It’s just a fine-tuned machine that comes in every day and fires up. That’s what I would say: the team’s focus is the number one thing that keeps the show moving and successful.

Good Will

Keith: Whether it’s stepping up during the pandemic, holding St. Jude fundraising records, or Heidi’s work saving animals — your show creates a lot of goodwill. However, you’ve also found yourselves in some complicated situations with advertisers and activist groups. For newer shows, is “community” and “goodwill” as important as it once was?

Frank: Community and goodwill are so important — not only for the community but also for myself and everyone on my team. When you can use the platform for something good, like raising money for St. Jude or doing a blood drive, it gives you perspective. You gain a different outlook on why you do it every day. As much as we have fun in our ridiculousness, the fact that our community comes together to support each other and we are that conduit gives the show and myself more purpose and satisfaction.

The Future

Keith: When you formed Toad Hop Network, you were ahead of the curve in seeing podcasting’s eventual explosion. You’re always looking ahead. So, look at morning radio 10 years down the road and give us your take from two points of view:

  1. What’s the actual content like 10 years from now? Are we still hearing War of the Roses, games for tickets, and personal rants across the dial?

Frank: Being in radio for over 30 years, I’ve witnessed the content change from decade to decade. I think it’s going to be cyclical. Who knows if we’re playing War of the Roses or Games for Tickets? What we were doing heavily in the ’90s, we weren’t doing in the 2000s. Then, in 2020, it changed.

I think it just depends on knowing your audience, knowing your community, and knowing yourself. Furthermore, evolution of character is key. Obviously, I started out a single guy, 23 years old, doing a morning show. Now, I’ve evolved to being a grandpa. Every step along the way, my audience has been there to see the different versions of my own personal growth.

I don’t even know what content I’ll be doing in 10 years. I hope I’m doing it. And I hope the industry still appreciates the human content element. I hope they don’t get rid of it completely. I think that would be a mistake.

  1. What’s the business model look like? FM transmitters? Still lots of local shows? More syndication or network?

Frank: As far as the business model, obviously everything is going digital. We’re having to fight to see if radio will even come standard in new cars. Therefore, I think that the digital aspect needs to be where the focus lies. However, with the technology developing as fast as it is, who knows how the content will be delivered in the future? You could be tapping into my brain chip and listening to my thoughts.

The Stern Effect

Keith: Along with Frosty and Heidi, you spent many years in middays at KLSX/Los Angeles following Howard Stern. Being that close to Stern must have had some impact. What effects did Howard have on your career and the show you’re doing today?

Frank: Who could ask for a better lead-in than Howard Stern? It’s funny, though. He obviously did his show out of New York, and we were in Los Angeles. Consequently, I’ve never met the man personally. I do appreciate everything he’s done for radio and pushing the limits. When he signed his massive deal at Sirius, it made me realize that I’m in the highest-paying field there is — at least for him. Howard’s always been himself. He’s always been Howard. Maybe an exaggerated version of himself sometimes. Whatever version of Howard happens to be at the moment is what you’re getting.

Improv vs. Prep

Keith: Only insiders know this, but you’re the only one fully prepped each morning — it’s essentially improv for the rest of the cast. Explain why that is and how it works when most would assume that’s a plan doomed to fail.

Frank: That’s right. I’m the only one that knows what’s going to happen. Heidi is a wonderful improv actress, and she’ll go down any road with me. Her having no idea what’s going to happen next is exactly how the audience is hearing the show. When she laughs for the first time or hears something the first time — ponders something for the first time — reacts to something for the first time, that’s how the audience is hearing it. I’m witnessing it happen.

In radio, you never really get to witness your audience listening to the show. However, nobody in the room knows what’s going to happen — only I do. I get that feedback instantly. I have the wherewithal to know when it’s time to move on and I thread it all together in my own way. It’s a lot of work. I’ve done it for a very long time, but that’s what makes our show so unique and hard to duplicate.

The Most Difficult

Keith: You’ve been on the air live, doing all-talk, during some extremely difficult times: civil unrest, terrorism, COVID, fund raising for kids with cancer, and even family health battles. What’s the most difficult situation you’ve ever had to overcome on the air? How’d you do it and what did you learn?

Frank: This one goes back probably 25 years. I was driving to the station. On my way there, I got a call from one of my buddies who told me that my wife was cheating on me. I instantly hung up with him and called my wife, and sure enough, she was.

I’m driving to work to do a fun radio show. I’m thinking to myself, “I don’t know how I’m going to do this. I can’t make people laugh right now. And I don’t have the ability in my bones to have fun right now. I can’t do this.” But I continued the drive to work. I got there. I was probably a sobbing mess the entire way.

It was time for the show to start. I put my headphones on and… That was one of the best shows I think I’ve ever done. I was on fire. Everything worked. After the show was over, I took my headphones off and realized at that moment that this is what I was meant to do. This was my calling. I was meant to be in radio and not just to feed that guy his feet.

We’re All in Sales

Keith: You and Heidi index extremely high — sometimes at the very top — when advertisers study ROI on endorsements. Why is that, and explain how important you think it is for talent to get more involved in sales?

Frank: Sales is the most important thing. Anything I can do to help that process, I will do.

Why do we get the return on investment that we do? It is because we interject our personalities in the commercial. Anyone can just read copy, but you have to connect on that level as well with a commercial, as you do your audience. I make the advertiser part of the content. They become part of the community. Our fans are loyal to us. They’re also loyal to our advertisers. I will do whatever it takes for the advertiser to be happy. I will go above and beyond and do what nobody else will do. That’s the difference.

Being A Linchpin

Keith: Seth Godin famously wrote about becoming a Linchpin, which led to many in the industry to advise talent to make themselves indispensable. But that’s not even enough anymore. Talent is now advised to build their own brands with the radio gig as an extension. You’ve done that with side projects. How should radio talent be thinking about their personal brand outside of just radio?

Frank: Radio’s always been a very cutthroat business. Even more so today than ever before. I think you need to have something to fall back on. You have to present yourself to your company more as a partner, as opposed to an employee/employer relationship. What can you do for each other to improve both brands, to benefit everyone? If companies are willing to do that, I think there’d be more of an opportunity to keep talent on air, doing what they do best. We could avoid getting rid of the talent by partnering with the talent. Otherwise, you’re stuck with nothing unique and nothing real.

Be prepared for those making those decisions to make the wrong decision. Have some place to go and to fall back on. Because it’s no longer, you are fired — your audience has no idea what happened to you. Now, you have contact with your audience all the time. If you have a brand to fall back on and a place for your audience to land, then by all means, take them with you.

My Krak

Keith: You launched MyKrak.com, a digital streaming and content provider. What inspired you to build something outside traditional radio, and how has the experience shaped the way you think about the future of audio content?

Frank: I’m glad you asked that, Keith. Much like the guy in my early career that told me to go back to Podunk, Indiana, I had a boss basically tell me, “Where are you gonna go” during contract negotiations. “Where are you gonna go?” knowing that the options are thin in radio to go anywhere. He said, “Where you gonna go? You gonna go stream?” With that high-pitched sarcastic tone, he implied, “Yeah, that’s your only option. You go do that.”

Once again, my urge to feed people feet came back. I started KRAK on mykrak.com. It’s a live podcast streaming 24/7 format: music, comedy, talk. It’s everything that I think radio should be. To have that outlet for myself and for others to do exactly what they want to do: play the music exactly the way they want to play it. I’m recreating early radio again, where you relied on jocks to help you discover new music or shows that could just say whatever they wanted.

It’s been freeing. It’s been hugely successful. And it’s never going away. That’s where I’ll land. If radio suddenly doesn’t want to have me on the air anymore, well, that’s where I’ll be the next day.

What’s the Real Secret

Keith: What’s the real secret to winning in morning radio beyond just talent and smarts?

Frank: I guess that implies I know the secret. I would say, “Never taking yourself too seriously.” I think I’ve had my success because I’ve never tried to change the world. I’m just trying to make it go by a little bit faster on that drive to work. I want you to get there with a smile on your face — going to a job you don’t like. If I’m the one thing you can look forward to getting up and hanging out with, that’s what I’m there for.

The minute I think I have something to say of importance — that I have this platform, I need to speak about stuff — is the minute that someone’s going to come along and knock you off that. That’s why I think I’ve been able to get away with murder. For lack of a better word, I get away with a lot because people know I’m genuine. I care and I love doing what I do. I’m ridiculous. That’s okay with me.

The One Thing

Keith: What’s the one thing you think needs fixing at radio that you’d fix tomorrow?

Frank: I would bring back the marketing, promotion, and social media departments. Getting rid of those after the pandemic was a huge mistake. You need to be out in the community. You need to be in their faces a lot — a constant reminder that you are still there. By taking a step back and getting rid of the marketing, promotion, and live events and being out in the public with the community is not working. Sales, marketing, promotion, and social all have to have separate departments. They all need to work together to keep radio afloat.

The Blank Slate

Keith: Last question — blank slate. Say anything you want to any sector of the radio, audio, or music industry. What do you want them to hear?

Frank: The clock is so important in radio. However, it seems like the only clock the radio is focusing on is the doomsday clock. There is time to make changes. And there is time to look at the history of radio and what worked in the past. There is time to figure it all out. Let the people who’ve been doing it for a long time be the ones that consult you in figuring it out. Radio’s not over. Whether it be the delivery or the formats, it all basically comes down to the connection. That’s what we have more than anything else.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Netflix Can’t ‘Netflix’ The Field Of Dreams Game

John Mamola
-
0
Why Netflix Can’t ‘Netflix’ The Field Of Dreams Game

Thursday night is Netflix’s season finale: the MLB Field of Dreams Game live from Dyersville, Iowa. A baseball mecca and hallowed ground for many. Why? Because of its simplicity. Lights, field, corn.

The nostalgia of the Oscar-nominated film runs deep with baseball fans young and old. James Earl Jones’ speech mixed in with the emotions of having a catch. The script is just laid out for Netflix to end its first season of MLB coverage with a home run. But will they?

If the first two instances of coverage on the streaming giant have proven anything, it’s that Netflix tends to add too much to a proven formula. MLB Opening Night was an utter disaster of a debut for baseball purists. The Home Run Derby was Netflix’s attempt to correct some of those mistakes. Thursday night, the lights in Iowa offer a grand finale. One that Netflix needs to take seriously into its offseason.

Netflix wants live events. They don’t want baseball games on a regular basis. That’s why, entering the season, I knew the approach by Netflix wouldn’t be for the purists. The goal was simple: Be different.

Trial And Error Debut

The first shot out of the gate was MLB Opening Night. It was filled with ‘Netflixing’ the start of the MLB baseball season. Plenty of references and signage plugged Netflix content selections. You had Jameis Winston hanging out with fans and the Uso brothers in the stands. Bert Kreischer was in McCovey’s Cove, then screaming to the fans about the excitement of Opening Night.

Plus, there was an endless amount of cross-promotion for other Netflix series and specials.

The game broadcast itself was fine. Familiar voices mixed in with new faces. Star power with Albert Pujols, C.C. Sabathia, Anthony Rizzo and Barry Bonds. Baseball fans missed the first recorded automatic ball-strike challenge, which caused social media to light on fire. However, overall, baseball was played and more than three million watched.

The Home Run Derby was a next step in the right direction. Less ‘Netflixing’ of the event and far fewer references and cross-promotional plugs. However, the Derby is an event, not a game. To squash outrage from purists, the platform likely took the feedback from Opening Night and learned from it.

But the event still had issues, from audio imbalances during the player introductions to camera switching that could produce seizures around the country.

Now, the Field of Dreams Game. A moment where Netflix should own the moment.

Less Is Best

The first step is complete. Kevin Costner will be a part of the broadcast. Netflix has its star to welcome the baseball viewer to Dyersville. The second step is taking a lesson from the past two experiences and learning that less is more.

Dyersville, Iowa, is not the busy metropolis of the San Francisco Bay Area. It also isn’t the place where every launch angle needs to be explored. Field of Dreams was a simple movie with a simple premise, set in a simple town. A place where a sellout crowd is just over 7,000 and the days move slower.

This is an opportunity to showcase the story of Field of Dreams, not the latest Netflix production or promotional opportunity. The Field of Dreams Game is about a father and son having a catch, not another platform for references to Hawk, Quarterback or the latest Netflix series.

There’s a romanticism to baseball at sunset in the Midwest, with the lights on and the corn surrounding the field. Give viewers the throwback uniforms, the organ music and the feeling that they have stepped into the movie. Leave the Jock Jams soundtrack and the latest promotional trends for another night.

If Netflix has an opportunity to leave a positive note on its first season of MLB coverage, it starts with being simple and putting storytelling first.

The 2021 debut proved a smash hit for FOX Sports as the Chicago White Sox defeated the New York Yankees. The presentation was nostalgic, leaning on the memories created by the film as its guide. People watched like they felt they’ve been dipped in magic waters. The next year, FOX tried again and lost half the audience. Most sequels aren’t better than the original. Outside of an odd Harry Caray hologram during the seventh-inning stretch, FOX attempted to recreate the smash hit it had the year before.

Four years later, baseball is finally returning to Dyersville.

Leave A Memory

Netflix has an opportunity to make the Field of Dreams Game feel special again, but that won’t happen by trying to make it feel more like Netflix. This is a night that doesn’t need to be reinvented. It needs to be remembered.

Let the corn tell the story, the sunset set the scene and the organ play. Let Kevin Costner remind viewers why the movie still resonates today. Allow the players to walk out of the corn and let baseball breathe for a few hours. Most importantly, let the game be the game.

Netflix has spent its first MLB season attempting to prove it can create a live sports event that feels different. Now, it has an opportunity to prove it understands something equally important: Different doesn’t always mean more.

Sometimes the best way to leave a lasting impression is to get out of the way. Don’t ‘Netflix’ the Field of Dreams Game.

Just give baseball fans the field, the corn, the lights and the story they already love.

If Netflix can resist the temptation to turn Dyersville into another promotional playground and instead embrace the simplicity that made Field of Dreams special in the first place, its MLB season finale could become the lasting memory of its first season with baseball.

And maybe, for one night, the best Netflix production is the one that barely feels like Netflix at all.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Ben & Woods’ Latest Extensions Could Be Their Grand Finale With 97.3 The Fan

John Mamola
-
0
Why Ben & Woods’ Latest Extensions Could Be Their Grand Finale With 97.3 The Fan

It’s not every day you get to have a memorable breakfast with your boss. Most people expect a quick morning conversation to happen around the office coffee machine. Last month, though, 97.3 The Fan’s Ben Higgins and Steve Woods, along with producer Paul Reindl, gathered for something much different. The long-running San Diego morning show, Ben & Woods, was celebrating Woods’ birthday.

The mood was light. It was a typical Friday morning wrapping up MLB All-Star Week and preparing for the second half of the Padres season. Breakfast burritos were on the menu, but so was another surprise. Each member of the show received a new three-year contract extension.

“Anytime you can get extended in media these days is a giant win,” says Woods, who called the moment the best birthday gift ever. “We have an audience that’s so dedicated to the show and knows where we are. Not just us but taking care of our producer was also a big thing for us. As soon as they did that, that forced the issue for us to do this.”

Since 2019, Ben & Woods has become a staple for San Diego sports fans. The show originally launched a year earlier on the former Mighty 1090 before moving to Audacy’s 97.3 The Fan after the station shut down. The program was built specifically for San Diego, blending sports, culture, humor and personality. Higgins and Woods have never been afraid to let listeners into their lives, and that same transparency extends to contract negotiations.

“Honestly, I would like to handle things behind the scenes. But compromise is part of a good radio marriage,” jokes Higgins. “Woods loves bringing it all out there for our listeners. Which is our strongest quality. In terms of our deal, we were in alignment on a lot. It was just a few things that if they agreed on, we’d be ready to sign. We were just so happy to get it done.”

The Last Dance?

This negotiation also marked a first. Higgins and Woods parted ways with their agent before discussions began, choosing to negotiate directly with Audacy. Given the uncertainty surrounding the radio industry, both understood the risk. Despit that, they also believed the audience they had spent years building would remain with them regardless of where they landed.

“I’ve heard I’ve been working in a dying industry for fifteen years,” said Woods. “We’ve really been successful in this dying industry… Because we put a lot into the show. If they didn’t want us, that’s a bad mistake on their part.”

While Woods says he isn’t sure independence would have been an option, Higgins never doubted their relationship with listeners.

“There’s always going to be a place for a genuine connection with an audience. Whether that’s radio or the next iteration of what that is. There’s always someone who’s out there ready to mobilize an audience that has a truly genuine relationship to the hosts,” said Higgins. “That’s what we do. Whether it’s live, on demand, on audio or video. That’s what we look to deliver.”

However, even with the new contracts in place, Woods hints this may be his final extension.

“I got fifteen and a half years in San Diego doing morning radio. The last eight with Ben have been the most magical. Anything beyond that is just gravy for me. Honestly, if I had my way, this would be the last contract maybe,” said Woods. “I don’t want to age out of the demo, but my wife tells me I’m like a twelve-year-old anyway.”

While he’s insists he’s not fully committed to walking away after years in both music and sports radio, Woods understands careers rarely end on a broadcaster’s terms. There is something appealing and even somewhat romantic, he admitted, about choosing his own exit.

A Proven Formula For Expansion

For now, though, the joys of working with Higgins and connecting with listeners keeps Woods motivated for the next three years.

“I love sports, but I love radio and entertaining more than anything else. People don’t remember our takes on the Padres rotation. They remember the stories we share about our personal lives and experiences. That’s what cuts through,” said Woods.

That philosophy has helped the show thrive in a market that lost the NFL’s San Diego Chargers a decade ago. San Diego is now home to one major professional sports franchise. Although the San Diego Chargers relocated, Higgins believes the show’s success rests on one simple truth: Teams may leave, but loyal sports fans remain.

“Our timing was really good. The Chargers leaving actually helped us because we were already talking baseball. Then we found all these sports fans, because they never left,” said Higgins. “We were already the leading Padres show. San Diego has great sports fans and they channeled their energy into the Padres. We’re one of the few outlets that they can get their daily content. That worked really well for us.”

Ben & Woods doesn’t resemble many sports talk shows in larger markets. It doesn’t rely on manufactured debate or exaggerated opinions. Instead, listeners get authenticity, vulnerability and personality.

“The secret sauce is simple. Vulnerability and passion. It’s okay to say I don’t know everything or express emotions that opens you up to the audience,” said Woods. “The grumpy old man or blowhard approach to sports radio had its time. It’s now past. I want to hear genuine and personal conversation instead of telling everyone that you know everything about the games we choose to cover.”

Their chemistry extends well beyond the studio.

“I’ve had great work colleagues over my time in radio and television that I loved working with. But didn’t really have a deep personal relationship with them outside of work,” said Higgins. “Outside of my family, if there was a deep or personal crisis, Woods would be the first one I talk to always. He fills that role. He’s not just my radio soulmate, but also my best friend too now and going forward.”

Beginning next month, Ben & Woods will become the first San Diego-based show heard on SiriusXM alongside 22 other Audacy sports stations, exposing the program to a much larger audience. While Woods admittedly no longer pays much attention to industry headlines, both hosts see the move as another example of Audacy embracing new opportunities.

“I like that we work for a company that’s open minded,” says Higgins. “In the past, you wouldn’t think of combining with a competitor and working with iHeartMedia and SiriusXM. That would have been forbidden. It’s great that we can be open-minded about this. Our job is about reaching audience in any way possible, and Audacy is one of the more forward-thinking broadcasters we’ve seen in that line.”

With new extensions completed and added distribution to come, the work rolls on for one of San Diego’s top radio programs. Yes, the breakfast eventually ended. The burritos were gone, the birthday celebration wrapped up and the contracts were signed. For Ben Higgins and Steve Woods, the meal represented far more than another extension. It marked another chapter in a partnership that has become one of San Diego’s most recognizable sports radio institutions.

There’s no guarantees of tomorrow or another extension to come. Woods has acknowledged that, if things go according to plan, this could be his final deal. It also may not. Regardless, if that day eventually comes, the formula that made Ben & Woods successful is unlikely to change.

Show up every morning. Be themselves. Tell the stories that make listeners feel like part of the conversation. And trust the audience they’ve spent years building will keep showing up too. Maybe this is the final chapter. If it is, Ben Higgins and Steve Woods intend to make it one worth listening to.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Peter Katsis’ Management Legacy Influences Today’s Music Industry

David Hill
-
0
Peter Katsis’ Management Legacy Influences Today’s Music Industry

I cannot claim Peter Katsis and I were close friends. We shared many of the same friends, but I only met him a handful of times. However, each encounter left an impression. Every time I did, he was polite, gracious and willing to have a good conversation. Perhaps some of that was simply my admiration talking. Peter represented an enormous part of the music that shaped both my life and my career.

Long before I became a radio programmer, I was a music fan. The Cramps and General Public were early influences on a very young Dave Hill. Eventually, Ministry became part of the soundtrack as my musical tastes became louder, stranger and more adventurous. Years later, I had the privilege of playing and supporting many of the artists Peter helped guide. Limp Bizkit, Korn, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Audioslave — you name it, I was probably into it. I played those songs, watched audiences react to them, and saw firsthand how those artists helped define entire eras of rock and alternative radio.

A Legendary Career

Peter Katsis died Thursday from complications related to congestive heart failure. He was 69. His résumé is almost difficult to summarize. Peter worked with artists ranging from the Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg and Enrique Iglesias to the Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, Morrissey, Liz Phair and Bush. Notably, he helped take the Backstreet Boys from arenas into stadiums. Additionally, he was behind Audioslave’s historic 2005 concert in Havana. He helped bands navigate changing tastes, evolving business models and, at times, the difficult process of finding a second or third chapter.

Earlier this year, Peter spoke with Barrett Media for The Industry According To. When asked about the part of management that people do not see, he said, “The key lies in staying true to the music.” That may be the simplest explanation for his longevity. The artists were different. The decades were different. The audiences were different. But the music remained the starting point.

Following Peter’s death, longtime industry executive Mark Beaven described him as a gentleman who “cared, and showed up for what and who mattered.” That description stayed with me because it matched the man I encountered. Peter did not need anything from me during our conversations. I was not one of his artists or business partners. I was simply a radio guy who admired what he had accomplished and loved many of the records his clients made. Still, he was friendly. He was present. He made the interaction feel worthwhile. That should not be remarkable, but sometimes it is.

Relationships Matter in Uncertain Times

We are living through a brutal period in the music and radio industries. People are being fired. Companies are cutting deeply. Jobs that once felt secure are disappearing. Meanwhile, longtime relationships are being tested by budgets, consolidation, technology and fear about what comes next. When an industry becomes unsettled, it is easy for people to become transactional. We start looking at one another based on job titles, influence, access or what someone might be able to do for us.

However, titles change. Companies reorganize. The person who has power today may be looking for work tomorrow. The assistant you overlook today may be running the company a decade from now. The relationships remain. That is the larger lesson I am taking from Peter’s passing: Make sure you are still friendly with people. Return the phone call when you can. Answer the email. Give someone a few minutes even when there is no obvious business opportunity attached. Congratulate people when something good happens. Reach out when they lose a job. Finally, do not allow a difficult marketplace to make you a difficult person.

The Legacy of Integrity

None of us gets through a long career without disagreements, disappointments or mistakes. Peter certainly experienced his share of difficult business moments. Anyone who works in artist management for more than 35 years will collect some scars. Yet when the news of his death spread, the words people used were not merely about stadium tours, multiplatinum albums or famous clients. They talked about how he cared. They talked about how he showed up. And remembered him as a gentleman.

I only knew Peter Katsis in passing, but those few interactions were enough to leave an impression. His work helped soundtrack my youth and later became part of my professional life. I am grateful I had the opportunity to tell him, in one way or another, that the music mattered to me. Peter has now walked through that final door, leaving behind an extraordinary body of work and generations of people connected by the music he helped bring into the world. The rest of us are still in the room. Let’s make sure we treat each other well while we are here.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why MS NOW Is Betting on Personality for Its Daytime Schedule

Garrett Searight
-
0
Why MS NOW Is Betting on Personality for Its Daytime Schedule

MS NOW officially finished building its dayside lineup Monday, and the final piece came from a familiar face. Peter Alexander’s State of Play launched at 11 a.m. ET, filling the last open hour in a schedule the network started assembling back in March. The show marks Alexander’s first shot at solo anchoring after 22 years at NBC News, and it slots him right between Stephanie Ruhle and Alicia Menendez in a stretch of programming that’s built almost entirely around personality.

That’s the real story here, and it’s worth sitting with for a moment. MS NOW isn’t just filling airtime with rip-and-read updates and rotating correspondents. Instead, the network is betting on its talent to carry the day, and Monday’s launch confirms just how far that bet extends.

Consider the full picture now that it’s complete. Ruhle anchors Money, Power, Politics from 9 to 11 AM ET, leaning on her business background to frame the morning’s headlines. Alexander follows with State of Play from 11 AM to noon, drawing on his White House sourcing and years of Washington relationships. Menendez then hosts On the Line from noon to 2 PM, Tur takes over with The Moment from 2 to 4 PM, and Nicolle Wallace closes the stretch with Deadline: White House from 4 to 6 PM.

Five hosts, five distinct voices, and five hours anchored by personality rather than a revolving cast of fill-ins.

A Different Kind of Daytime

You’ll still find high-profile interviews on MS NOW’s dayside schedule. Breaking news segments show up there too, and so do feature stories that wouldn’t look out of place on a competitor’s air. But the emphasis on personality — on viewers tuning in for Ruhle or Tur or Alexander specifically, not just for whatever story happens to be developing — isn’t nearly as prevalent elsewhere in cable news.

Fox News still runs a daytime block heavy on hard news and shorter segments. CNN’s daytime hours lean on a similar formula, cycling through anchors who deliver the news rather than interpret it through a consistent, personal lens. MS NOW is choosing a different lane, and it’s doing so at a moment when the network needs one.

Ratings have been a persistent challenge. MS NOW trails Fox News across virtually every measure, and it doesn’t always clear CNN in the total-day category either, even when it wins primetime. A personality-driven daytime slate won’t fix that overnight, but it does give the network something to point to that looks and feels different from what’s already crowding the space.

Why This Approach Makes Sense

MS NOW has to differentiate itself somehow, and chasing Fox News or CNN on their own terms hasn’t worked so far. Building a daytime lineup around recognizable hosts gives the network a reason for viewers to show up beyond the day’s headlines. It creates destination viewing, which is exactly what MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler has said she wants dayside to become.

I’m going to watch closely to see how this plays out for the brand, because it’s a genuinely interesting swing. Alexander brings two decades of Washington credibility to an 11 a.m. hour that’s been unsettled since Andrea Mitchell stepped away. Ruhle brings a business lens that’s distinct from typical political coverage. Tur and Wallace already have loyal followings built over years on the network.

With Alexander’s arrival, the experiment is finally whole, and MS NOW can’t blame an incomplete roster if the numbers don’t move. The next few ratings periods will say a lot about whether personality-first daytime programming can actually work in cable news — and whether MS NOW found the formula other networks have been missing.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Every News/Talk Radio Station Can’t Follow the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Lead

Peter Thiele
-
0
Why Every News/Talk Radio Station Can’t Follow the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Lead

If you are in the radio industry, taking calculated risks is not on the drawing board right now. There are many reasons why.

Any loss of ratings and revenue is avoided. In professional sports, it is called tanking. Your favorite NFL team may be in the middle of the pack but is very competent. The team you love is playoff-adjacent. So, teams often tank for a season or two to rebuild.

Perhaps it is time to tank on your show and rebuild. How about tanking in your life and building up yourself? Is it your station that needs to tank?

So, if you are a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers — your team has been competitive for decades. In the last decade or so, the Steelers had a winning record and likely made the playoffs. Sadly, the Steelers are not ready for a Super Bowl run.

How about your show? Is it competitive? Is it a winner? I had a show host tell me a couple of years ago that he does not care about the ratings. He does a show for himself. If you are paid to host a news/talk radio show, you are in a treasured position. It is an honor to host a show. If you are not interested in your audience, why are you here?

Your Show Should Imitate Real Life

If you have been doing essentially the same show for the past several years, it is time to reassess. Is your show like the Pittsburgh Steelers? Is it better than most but not at the top of the pile? Long-term survival would indicate that thinking is a failing strategy. You don’t want someone at corporate to demand change and examine every moment on your broadcast.

Let’s talk about your life. Is it time to tank? I am not writing about destroying everything in your existence. We all have things to address. Many of these things are destructive to our personal and business lives. It could be drinking, gambling, a hobby, a bad relationship, a dysfunctional work situation.

Do you need to cut something out? I have a friend who was totally immersed in his hobby. It was a perfectly constructive endeavor that provided him with enjoyment. Well, his hobby became all-consuming. The pastime that was meant to take his focus off stress at work became a 24/7 obsession. He decided to take a break. He had a basement full of equipment, and sold it all. Later, he found that he had become a servant of his hobby.

Is there something in your life that dominates your existence? Do you need to simplify? Again, this is a very personal question. I don’t want to tell you what to do. You may need to take a step back on a few things. I know a talk show host who was the go-to guy in his community. He hosts a morning show and seemingly served on many boards and was the master of ceremonies for many events every year. Here was the problem: he woke up at 4 in the morning and got home at 9 every night. This dedication was bruising everything in his life. His marriage, family, and show had become damaged. This guy resigned from most of his commitments and limited himself to a handful of events each month.

Are you overextended? Is there balance in your life? Is it time to pull back from some commitments?

Time to Rebuild Your Station

What about your station? Does it need to tank and reinvent? Obviously, we as an industry have revenue challenges and need to be profitable. Your station may need a refresh. What is going on with your station’s imaging?

When is the last time that you updated the station’s sound? I was listening to a great news/talk radio station recently that was using a news theme from the ’90s. I like the ’90s like everyone else, but if your presentation sounds like 1990, change it. What about your station’s narrator? Is the imaging voice now wallpaper? You may want to evaluate it carefully.

I know that reimaging a station is a tremendous project. If you run a music station, a reimaging project can start with a dozen liners and a snappy new legal ID. News/talk radio is much more complicated and time-consuming. But if it needs to be done, this may be the moment.

Speaking of imaging, is it the writing? Is the imaging too predictable? It’s the Joe Blow Show on AM 950 KKWW. That doesn’t say anything, and your host should be able to say their own name. It is a pet peeve of mine when hosts are allergic to saying their name. Do you want new fans? Do you think that everyone listening knows the lineup of your station by memory?

PPM data says that the average person listens to 10 stations per week. Say your damn name and give your station’s address often. Introduce yourself to new friends. You would do that at a party, correct? If that is true, do you expect your listeners to know what they are listening to and who you are?

Embracing Change

We should always be questioning things. Your life, career, and news/talk radio station are in flux. I can guarantee one thing in life — change! It is human nature to fight change. We like things the same. You have that favorite restaurant. You love a certain singer or band.

Sometimes, we need to evaluate things in our lives. Simplifying may be the best way to make yourself happy and successful. Take a day to think through things. Take a day off and remove all distractions. Think about all the things in your life. Focus on what is working, look at what can be tweaked, and the things that need to be blown up.

Many of us in radio have sprinted into change. We have moved across the country. We start from scratch in new cities. And we have loaded our cars on trailers behind a U-Haul, arriving at an apartment that we have only seen on a website.

Don’t let your desire for stability interfere with your success.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Why Great Radio Stations Need Weeds to Grow

Kevin Robinson
-
0
Why Great Radio Stations Need Weeds to Grow

With fewer staff in all broadcast clusters, quickly minimizing the weeds and fertilizing the flowers is metaphorically how a radio brand evolves.

Consider this weed analogy: Walk through a botanical garden and every plant looks perfect. Every flower is planted with purpose. Every hedge is trimmed. And every blade of grass seems to know exactly where it belongs.

By contrast, take a hike through a real meadow in the middle of spring, and you’ll discover something different. Wildflowers bloom in every direction, filling the landscape with color and life. Yet when you get down on one knee and look closely, you’ll also find dandelions, thistles, patches of crabgrass, and plenty of weeds.

The flowers are spectacular because they’re alive. They’re not perfect.

Great radio stations are no different.

The Sound of Success

From the listener’s perspective, the best-built stations sound effortless. The top personalities are entertaining and engaging. Moreover, today’s tools allow big imaging — even in small markets — creating momentum. The well-curated playlist, assisted by intelligent music software, allows the music to flow naturally. It all appears seamless.

Inside the building, however, every successful station has weeds. It could be rancor about the state of the business, launching of a new ensemble morning show, the sales effort at odds with talent, or dialogue on the strategic direction of a brand.

The difference between a station that’s growing and one that’s standing still isn’t whether weeds exist. Rather, it’s whether management is willing to cultivate the flowers while coaching through the imperfections — the weeds.

Cultivating Excellence

Years ago, I inherited an air staff that had become experts at protecting the playlist. Every break was technically clean. They “hit the post.” They read the liner. And they introduced the next song.

Mission accomplished.

The problem? Nothing they said gave listeners a reason to choose them over Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, or SiriusXM.

The talent “sounded good.” However, they did not create breaks that were memorable.

So the challenge I offered was to leave their fingerprints on every break. Get loose. Tell a personal story. Express an opinion. Put a smile on the listener’s face. Build one personality moment every quarter hour that could not be duplicated by an algorithm.

At first, the talent in the room got quiet. For years they had been conditioned to believe that the safest break was the shortest break. In reality, safe radio rarely builds passionate fans. Instead, it builds background noise.

The Path Forward

Eventually they embraced the challenge. At the onset, stories were too long. Some jokes bombed. Breaks drifted and, without a liner card, exits were unpolished. Those were weeds. That is part of the process.

One of the biggest mistakes programmers make today is confusing mistakes with failure. They are not the same thing.

Today’s radio operators have access to far more data than twenty years ago. We know the importance of minute-by-minute listening. Moreover, we are able to measure — with minute detail — social engagement. We analyze streaming sessions, podcast downloads, digital consumption, and web traffic. That is valuable information.

However, data should inform creativity — not replace it. When every break becomes a math equation, personalities stop taking chances. Then listeners stop paying attention.

Building Legendary Radio

The personalities who build loyal audiences are not perfect. They are authentic, curious, and locally engaged. No morning show became legendary by playing it safe. No great feature was brilliant the first time it aired. Everything memorable began as an imperfect idea.

Radio Hall-of-Famer and Barrett Media contributor Scott Shannon‘s philosophy has always centered on the idea that successful stations are constantly evolving. Scott has often emphasized that the best stations are never complacent. Greatness involves improving talent, music, promotions, and execution — even when they are already winning.

Scott is quoted as saying: “Great radio stations are never finished. They’re always a work in progress.”

Talent Coach Tracy Johnson relates that new shows are messy at first, and that’s normal. “Every new morning show is going to struggle at first. That’s part of the process. Don’t judge it by the first few weeks — keep coaching, keep refining, and let the chemistry develop.”

The Competitive Advantage

The best programmers I have worked with were not obsessed with catching mistakes. Instead, they were obsessed with developing potential.

Radio has never faced more audio competition than now. Every dashboard, smartphone, and smart speaker offers listeners unlimited choices. Additionally, algorithms recommend songs. Artificial intelligence can write scripts. Podcasts dive deep into virtually any subject.

Talent is radio’s greatest competitive advantage. Give them the space to stumble and grow. If your station never has weeds, it probably is not planting enough flowers.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

1...262728...2,752Page 27 of 2,752